Interlocking-tube variable-length two-piece vehicular side, or nerf, bars

Abstract

A selected-length first, preferably tubular, rear member substantially subtending a side region of a vehicle just to the fore of the vehicle's rear wheel well has when mounted to the vehicle an integral extension that slides within, and strongly engages, another selected-length, forward, member that substantially subtends the remaining side region of the vehicle, extending so far as the vehicle's front wheel well. The two members together as are (i) individually selected in length, and (ii) slid together to a variable extent, jointly form a two-piece vehicular side, or nerf, bar that is precisely sized to the vehicle to which it is applied, strong, and suitably shipped by conventional land and air freight carriers. Lower levels of inventory are thus required to suit a wide range of vehicular applications.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A side bar for a vehicle comprising: 
 two or more interlocking pieces.    
     
     
         2 . The vehicle side bar according to  claim 1   wherein each of the interlocking pieces is tubular.    
     
     
         3 . The vehicle side bar according to  claim 2   wherein the tubular interlocking pieces so interlock by action of an end of one tube sliding into an end of another.    
     
     
         4 . The vehicle side bar according to  claim 1  adapted for a pickup truck having a cab region and a bed region 
 wherein a first interlocking piece extends the along the cab region of the pickup truck;  
 wherein a second interlocking piece extends the along the bed region of the pickup truck; and  
 wherein the first piece interlocks to the second piece where the cab of the pickup truck meets the bed of the pickup truck.  
 
     
     
         5 . A side bar for a vehicle comprising: 
 two or more elongate hollow pieces that, by virtue of an end region of one piece sliding within an end region of another piece to a variable extent, extend when slidingly mated one to another for a variable distance along a side of the vehicle;    wherein the multiple-piece side bar is adjustable in length.    
     
     
         6 . The vehicle side bar according to  claim 2   wherein each of the two or more elongate hollow pieces is tubular.    
     
     
         7 . A user-specified and user-installable kit for mounting a side bar of proper length to and along a full side of a vehicle having both a forward side region and a rear side region between two same-side wheel wells, the kit comprising: 
 a first piece selected in accordance with the vehicle from among a plurality of first-type pieces of various lengths that are variously suitable to substantially span forward side regions of various different vehicles;    a second piece, also selected in accordance with the vehicle, from among a plurality of second-type pieces of various lengths that are variously suitable to substantially span rear side regions of various different vehicles; and    mounting brackets and attaching hardware sufficient not only to mount both the first piece and the second piece respectively to the forward and the rear side regions of the vehicle, but which also serve to mount the first and the second piece directly to each other, producing thereby a contiguous side bar for, and of proper length for, the vehicle.    
     
     
         8 . The side bar kit in accordance with  claim 7  wherein the selected first piece is of a length that does only approximately, and not exactly, span the forward side region of the vehicle; 
 wherein the selected second piece is of a length that does only approximately, and not exactly, span the rearward side region of the vehicle; and  
 wherein the first and the second side pieces and the mounting hardware act, in concert, to bridge any gap, or accommodate any overlap, between the first and the second piece and permit, despite that both pieces are only of approximate length, that the pieces sill mount directly to each other and produce the contiguous side bar of proper length for the vehicle.  
 
     
     
         9 . The side bar kit in accordance with  claim 8   wherein the selected first and second pieces are hollow, and do fit and slide end-to-and within each other so that, as combined and variably extended from each other, they will in combination exactly span the combined forward and rearward side regions of the vehicle, and will in combination be adjustable to the proper length of the vehicle.    
     
     
         10 . The side bar kit in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the first and second hollow pieces comprise: 
 tubes.